How to Watch the NCAA College Basketball Power 5 Conferences

For many across the US, college basketball is just as important as the NBA. Like fans support their local teams in the NBA, households, families, and individuals support the college teams to which they have a connection. There is no doubt that passion for college sports can be equally strong.

Each basketball conference can be watched in multiple ways, with networks, websites, and broadcasters for each conference, so you may need a few subscriptions to view them all.

However, if you are outside of the US, you’re going to experience further issues, as geo-restrictions are implemented to ensure that basketball and other sports are unavailable abroad. If this applies to you, you need to use a VPN.

In this article, we’ll break down how to watch the Power 5 NCAA basketball conferences and the top 3 VPNs on the market to ensure you never have to miss a single game.

SEC Basketball

SEC basketball is broadcast on the SEC Network and ESPN, which are both geo-restricted. With a VPN, you can bypass the restrictions and watch SEC Basketball on Playstation Vue and YouTube TV. If you don’t have a subscription to either of these, both offer a free trial.

Here is what to do:

Choose a VPN provider. (We recommend ExpressVPN because their blazing speeds are great for streaming basketball)

ACC Basketball

Most ACC games are available on ESPN, but there are a few that can be watched on regional channels and broadcasters. ACC basketball games are also available to watch on Sling TV. However, if you’re outside of the US, you’ll be blocked from streaming any games, so here’s what to do.

Big Ten Basketball

Typically, Big Ten basketball games feature on the Big Ten Network and ESPN, with some on CBS and Fox. Throughout the tournament, Big Ten Network will show all games before the semifinals, then CBS will take over the semifinals and the tournament championship.

If you want to watch every game, YouTube TV is the only broadcaster that has all these channels. You can utilize YouTube TV’s free trial if you don’t have a subscription.

Choose a VPN. (NordVPN has fast speeds which is great for watching YouTube TV from anywhere)

Big 12 Basketball

Big 12 is primarily covered on ESPN, however, both Fox and CBS show a few games here and there. Again, if you’re looking to watch these games for free anywhere in the world, PlayStation Vue or YouTube TV are the best platforms due to their free trial option.

Other NCAA Conferences

If your team isn’t in the Power 5, it is likely that ESPN will cover most big games. To watch ESPN, you can use Sling TV, which will require a paid monthly subscription, but this will provide you with access to most of your favorite NCAA basketball games. All you need to do is:

Choose a VPN provider. (NordVPN is a great choice to bypass the Sling TV geo block )

Best VPNs to Choose

Despite there being a tremendous number of VPNs on the market, there are only a select few that can deliver a smooth, uninterrupted experience. Instead of leaving it up to you to sift through the hundreds of providers, we’ve chosen our top 3 VPNs we recommend. For this list, our focus is on speed and performance, as well as the ability to overcome geo-restrictions.

ExpressVPN tops our list with its unmatched speeds. Additionally, with over 2,000 servers in 148 locations – many of which in the US – you can almost ensure a strong connection to the server. With ExpressVPN, you can watch your favorite NCAA basketball games without it feeling like you’re using a VPN at all. Moreover, if you’re not happy with the service, you can get your money back within 30 days.

With their Smart Play technology, NordVPN offer servers that are specifically optimized for streaming, resulting in an uninterrupted experience when watching your favorite NCAA basketball games anywhere in the world.

Another big player in the cybersecurity world, CyberGhost VPN offer reliable speeds as well as unlimited bandwidth, so you don’t need to worry about running out of data usage mid game.

Additionally, Cyberghost is tailored for those who aren’t acquainted with VPN technology as their user interface is simple and easy to navigate with a dedicated streaming section on the main menu. Finally, if you don’t want to commit to a subscription just yet, you can start a free trial to see if the service is for you or not.

Regardless which VPN you choose from our list, each will provide you with fantastic service, high speeds, and the ability to bypass geo-restrictions, meaning you can watch all the NCAA basketball conferences and games anywhere in the world.

After earning his degree in Business, Ben decided to pursue his passion for marketing, writing and content development within the technology and cyber security industry. He would like to continue traveling and embracing other countries and cultures while furthering his career.

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